Dispensing mechanism



April 24, 1962 C. K. DASHER DISPENSING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 2. 1960 2Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS April 24, 1962 C. K. DASHER DISPENSINGMECHANISM Filed Sept. 2. 1960 ill- 33 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 V INVENTOR 52/7/5544 (Jew/16 &7

ATTORNEY 5 United States This invention relates to a dispensingmechanism, and more particularly to a mechanism for dispensing packagedcommodities or the like by means of a drop shelf arrangement.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of an improveddispensing mechanism having a plurality of shelves upon which a packageor other commodity may be positioned so arranged that the lowermostshelf may be released to fall by gravity to a commodity dispensingposition, and each successively positioned upper shelf similarlyreleased by a single movement of an operating lever.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a device ofthis character having a pawl and ratchet mechanism for step-by-stepmovement by individual actuation of an operating lever successively torelease a plurality of superposed shelves to discharge the commoditycarried thereby into an operating chute or the like for reception by thepurchaser.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of such adevice which may be reset so that the shelves are in commodity receivingposition in a single operation.

A very important object of this invention is the provision of adispensing mechanism characterized by extreme simplicity of constructionand having a minimum of operating parts, which is sturdy and durable inconstruction, reliable and elficient in operation, and relatively simpleto manufacture, assemble, and utilize.

Still other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangementsof parts, and features of construction, all as will be more fullypointed out hereinafter and disclosed in the accompanying drawingwherein there is shown an illustrative embodiment of the inventiveconcept.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the operating mechanism of one form ofthe invention, certain of the shelves being indicated in commodityreceiving position, and certain others in discharge position.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of one of the shelves in operativeposition as taken from the underside of the front of the device.

FIGURE 3 is a rear elevational view of the device of FIG. 1, certainnon-essential parts of the mechanism being schematically indicated indot-ted lines.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 ofFIG. 3 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along atet the line 55of FIG. 3 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

FIGURE 6 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view of the ratchet andpawl operating mechanism of the device.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views of the drawing.

Having reference now to the drawing in detail, the dispensing mechanismof the instant invention is generally indicated at 10 and comprises achannel-shaped plate 11 including a rear wall 12, and side wall portions13. A plurality of spaced shelves 14 adapted to contain merchandise tobe dispensed include reduced portions 15 which are adapted to bepositioned between the side walls 13, and which have affixed to theirundersides shelf brackets 16 of generally U-shaped configurationincluding apertured legs 17, through the apertures of which extend hingepins 18, which also extend through oppositely positioned alignedapertures in the side Walls 13. Suitable lock nuts 19 serve to hold thepins in related assembly for the pivotal mounting of the shelves.

Secured to the underside of each shelf bracket 16 is an actuating lever20, which is provided with a slot 21 through which the pivot rod 18extends. An elongated slot 21 extends substantially the full length ofthe plate 12 of channel member 11 in alignment with the actuating levers20. As best shown in FIG. 2, the slot 21 terminates just below thelowermost of shelves 14. A steel tape housing 25 mounted on the top ofplate 12 contains a spring steel closure tape 26 which extends in oneposition of adjustment substantially the full length of slot 21 andserves as a closure therefor. With the tape in the closed position it isapparent that the actuating levers 20 are held in vertically alignedposition, and being perpendicular to the shelves 14 will thus hold theshelves 14 in horizontal position. Equally obviously, when the tape 26is removed to expose the slot, in a manner to be more fully describedhereinafter, the shelves will pivot as shown in the lower portion ofFIGS. 1, 3, and 4 under gravity to discharge position.

The lower end of tape 26 is secured to the upright leg 30 of an L-shapedratchet resetting plate 31, the horizontal leg 32 of which is providelwith a perpendicular flange 33, the purpose of which will be more fullydescribed hereinafter. A slot fill spacer 34 is positioned between theplate 31 and the tape 26, and the securing means may take the form ofscrews or rivets 31a as desired.

A trip pawl generally indicated at 35 is pivotally mounted on a pin .36carried by plate 31, the pin extending through an opening 37 in the pawland being secured in position in any desired manner as by a split ring38. Pawl 35 is provided with a triangular head 40, at the apex of whichthe opening 37 is located, with a ratchet point 41 projecting on oneside and a stop point 42 extending on the other side. A stem 43 extendsfrom the base of the triangular head 41 and an offset operating handle44 extends laterally therefrom to a point outside of channel-shapedmember 11 and adjacent the perpendicular flange 33.

A ratchet bar spacer 50 is fixedly secured to the rear side of plate 12adjacent slot 21 and carries a pair of ratchet rack holding lugs 51,adjacent its upper and lower extremities. The lugs 51 extend throughvertically elongated slots 52 in a ratchet rack bar 53, provided withratchet notches 54 in spaced apart relation on the side thereof adjacentthe ratchet pawl point 41. The notches 5-4 have inclined upper sides 55and fiat lower sides 56 so that the pawl point 41 will ratchet as thebar is moved downwardly. Suitable split spring rings 57 serve to holdratchet bar '53 against displacement.

The arrangement is thus such that when the resetting plate and itsassociated tape 26 are in the lowermost position, the shelves are allheld in extended horizontal position by means of the actuating levers20. Suitable means, to be more fully described hereinafter, are providedfor moving the ratchet bar 53 upwardly substantially the distance of oneshelf at a stop. This is efiected by the engagement of the point 41 ofthe trip pawl with the flat undersurface 56 of an adjacent notch 54, thepressure of the stop point 42 against the perpendicular flange 33causing the slide to rise with the ratchet bar, and consequently forcinga portion of the tape 26 back into the tape housing 25. As this iseffected the actuating lever 20 of the lowermost shelf 14 is free toswing into the slot 21,- whereupon the associated shelf 14 drops bygravity to drop its merchandise downwardly into a Suitable chute 59 orsimilar discharge opening (see FIG. 1). The step is sequentiallyrepeated with each shelf, the ratchet bar 53 being allowed to dropdownwardly after each step while the point 41 of the pawl ratchets overthe inclined surface 45 of the adjacent notch. The tension of the tape26 serves partially to hold the slide in its uppermiost position towhich it has been moved, but in any event the slide can only fall a verylimited distance, at which time it is engaged by the flat under surface56 of an adjacent notch.

Obviously, when it is desired to move all of the shelves back tohorizontal position, for reloading or the like, it is only necessary foran operator who has access to the mechanism to grasp the operatinghandle 44 and press it towards the perpendicular flange 33, which actionreleases the pawl point 41 from engagement with any adjacent notch, andmoves the same out of the range of the ratchet bar, whereupon theassembly including the resetting plate and its associated tape may bemoved downwardly to the bottom of the slot 21. As the tape passes eachactuating lever 20 the associated shelf is obviously forced outwardly tohorizontal position.

Any desired conventional means may be employed for actuating the ratchetbar 53 and, in the illustrative embodiment shown, take the form of alink 60 which is pivotally connected as by means of a pivot 61 to thelower extremity of ratchet bar 53. A second link 64 is pivotallyconnected as by means of a pivot 65 to the other end of link 60, and theother end of link 64 is in turn pivotally connected as by means of apivot 66 to a reciprocatory operating bar 67. A mount of anyconventional form may be provided and is generally indicated as ofchannelform at 68. The lower side walls 13 of channel member 11 aresecured to the side walls of member 68 in any desired manner as byrivets or bolts. An outer housing 69 may be provided, and is preferablyenclosed, as is the entire assembly which is mounted in a conventionalvending casing 70 of any desired form. Suitable coin actuated mechanism71 of conventional design may be employed to control the operation ofthe actuating lever 67. The mounting and arrangement of the devicecomprise no part of the instant invention, and are shown hereschematically and for illustrative purposes only, the invention residingin the assemblage of shelves and their actuating mechanism ashereinbefore described.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided animproved vending mechanism which accomplishes all the objects of thisinvention, and others,

including many advantages of great practical utility and commercialimportance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as manymodifications may be made of the embodiment hereinbefore shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to beinterpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

In a dispensing mechanism, in combination, a vertical supporting platehaving an elongated vertical slot therein, a plurality of shelves eachpivoted at one edge on said plate, an actuating lever on each shelfadjacent said slot, a coiled flexible tape mounted at the top of saidplate and extensible to close said slot, a reset plate secured to thefree end of said tape, a pawl pivotally mounted on said reset plate, aratchet bar having a plurality of notches therein vertically mountedadjacent said slot, said notches being positioned apart a distance equalto the space between adjacent shelves, operating means to lift saidratchet bar a distance of one shelf space comprising a handle andangularly disposed links pivotally secured to said handle, to each otherand to said bar, said notches engaging said pawl upon upward movement ofthe said bar thereby lifting the said reset plate and moving said tapeupwardly into said housing to expose said slot adjacent the actuatinglever of a single adjacent shelf, wherebysaid actuating lever ispermitted to move into said slot and said shelf falls by gravity to dropits contents, said reset plate having a perpendicular flange thereonengaging with said pawl to limit pivotal movement thereof when engagedby said notches, and upon downward movement of the said bar to bias thesaid pawl from the path of the said notches, and an operating leverextending from said pawl for moving said pawl out of engagement withsaid notches for downward movement of said slide block to reset saidshelves, said pawl being triangular in shape and pivoted at its apex andhaving an operating point engageable with said notches and a lockingpoint on the opposite side of its pivot for engagement with saidperpendicular flange, said ratchet bar having elongated vertical slotstherein and lugs fixed to said vertical plate engaging in said slots forlimiting the vertical movement of said ratchet bar and to preventdisplacement of the said pawl from engagement with said notches.

Richardson July 4, 1930 Gabriclsen et a1. Aug. 28, 1951

